MOMpreneur: n. defined as a female business owner who is actively balancing the role of mom and the role of entrepreneur.
Happy Monday Modern Boca Moms! Welcome to our next installment of MOMpreneur Monday, highlighting Florida businesses and brands founded by female entrepreneurs and fellow mommas.
Today’s featured Mompreneur is the founder and owner of the Boca dance studio and private events venue Organic Movements…Courtney Mullen Francisco!
Courtney opened Organic Movements in Boca Raton in June 2013. After a professional dance career spanning more than two decades, she wanted to give back and create a caring center for quality dance education. A place where students of all ages could develop confidence in themselves and their art in a natural, nurturing and supportive environment.
Courtney’s love affair with dance began when she was 7. She worked in musical theater at local venues such as Jan McArt’s Royal Palm Dinner Theater, the Delray Beach Playhouse and Lake Worth Playhouse. Through her theater experience and music training, she was introduced to dance, and eventually ballet, where she fell in love! From that point on, Courtney focused solely on dance learning everything she could from the leading artists and teachers of today throughout the nation.
Now as a teacher and mom of 3, Courtney’s desire to open a school of her own was solidified. It took nearly a year to find the ideal location. Not to mention almost that time to actually bring everything together to open.
“I was juggling teaching, a full-time job and being a new mommy. It was definitely an exercise in perseverance, but every bit worth it! We opened our [Organic Movements] doors officially on June 1, 2013 and it has been the most amazing, rewarding, and fulfilling experience every day since,” says Courtney.
What makes Organic Movements unique?
“I think there are a few aspects that make us unique. We are not a competition studio. Organic Movements is a classical conservatory-style school which focuses on teaching and instilling a proper and technically sound foundation of and love for dance in each of our students, regardless of age. We focus on learning to dance, rather than a dance,” explained Courtney.
Organic Movements also offers several dance, music and fitness opportunities for parents and adults that they can fit into their busy schedules! Amen!
There are classes that are offered concurrently with your child’s classes, classes MBMoms (MBAunts, MBGrandmoms!) can take WITH their babies/toddlers, as well as classes offered at multiple times and days throughout the week so that they can always fit something in…including my personal favorite Pound- Rockout Workout!
I should probably explain what this great workout is all about…
Pound is a full-body cardio jam session, combining light resistance with constant simulated drumming. The workout fuses cardio, Pilates, isometric movements, plyometrics, and Isometric poses into a 45-minute series. Participants burn between 600 and 900 calories per hour, strengthen and sculpt infrequently used muscles, and drum their way to a leaner, slimmer physique—all while rocking out to their favorite music!
It’s really fun, but prepare for some muscle soreness the next day or so. So fun! So sore!
Last, I always ask what you LOVE about living and having a business in South Florida?
“Both my husband and I were lucky enough to have been born and raised right here in South Florida—natives! Our youngest daughter was born and is growing up here as well. There are so many things I live and love about South Florida—the heat(!), the arts & culture opportunities from dance to theater, green markets and fairs, the melting pot of transient and transplant people bringing their own life and love to our area, beach, and most of all, people! People in South Florida are creative, vivacious, artistic and passionate! Also, did I mention I’m a big fan of the warm weather?”
Modern Boca Mom feels the same way…well, maybe not during the months of July and August…but most of the time!